Chapter 154: Judgment

"The handwriting is truly hideous."

Li Xintian gave a gentle smile, stepped forward, and planted his foot directly into the pile of paper ash.

With a sweep of his foot's breeze, the two large characters instantly disintegrated into dust, vanishing completely without a trace of their former shape.

Because Li Qizong was standing trial today, and Li Xintian was worried other complications might arise, he had left Chen Shuxia and Li Shangyun behind, deciding to go alone.

"Eldest Young Master, that was..." Ttieshan asked doubtfully.

"Left behind by those two ghost messengers. They accomplished the task; Mother Wang's soul has been detained," Li Xintian replied.

Tieshan was startled, then nodded.

Li Xintian continued, "Once we return today, remember to have someone select a plot of land in Shuiwen County to build a shrine and mold two clay statues for those two ghost messengers. In the future, I will instruct someone to occasionally offer them a few sticks of incense, giving them a foothold here in Shuiwen County so they can serve our Li family wholeheartedly."

Since the two ghost messengers had accomplished their task, it proved they still held value.

That being the case, keeping two ghost messengers in his service was not a bad idea; he might as well build them a residence.

"Understood, Eldest Young Master, this subordinate has made a mental note of it." Tieshan nodded.

Before long, Li Xintian arrived at the Shuiwen County yamen.

At this moment, the area in front of the Shuiwen County yamen was already packed with people—all onlookers from Shuiwen County who had rushed over to watch the spectacle.

"The Eldest Young Master has arrived, everyone make way."

"Eldest Young Master, what on earth has happened to Master Li? How did a lawsuit suddenly get stirred up out of nowhere?"

"Eldest Young Master, don't tell me it's true what they say—that the Li family's wealth was acquired through Mother Wang's sorcery, that Mother Wang cast the Five Ghosts Transport Wealth technique for your family, stealing the fortune of other wealthy households to build the Li family's prosperity today? I wonder if that's true or false?" someone shouted.

Li Xintian stopped in his tracks and immediately pointed at the man, demanding, "Who are you, daring to slander my Li family?"

"Scoundrel, is the Eldest Young Master someone you can slander? Are you looking for a beating?" Immediately, a local idler rushed forward and began punching and kicking the speaker.

Seeing this, Li Xintian made no move to stop him; instead, with an encouraging tone, he said, "Zhang Shun, well done. Come to the Li residence later to collect your reward."

"Understood, Eldest Young Master!"

The idler named Zhang Shun was overjoyed and laid into him with even greater vigor.

"Zhang Shun, you can beat him, but if anything happens, the Li family won't take responsibility." With that, Li Xintian stepped into the yamen.

Hearing this, the idler Zhang Shun immediately dared not hit quite as heavily, lest he accidentally beat the man to death.

"Bah, what a piece of trash! The Li family has been wealthy for three generations, and down to the Eldest Young Master, it's four. We are Shuiwen County's most famously wealthy household—is a lowlife outsider like you allowed to slander us?" The idler Zhang Shun spat on the ground after finishing his beating.

The outsider was beaten without daring to fight back, having no choice but to accept his bad luck.

Desperate times called for desperate measures; Li Xintian had no intention of showing leniency at a juncture like this. Those who needed to be beaten down would be beaten down, otherwise people would think the Li family only had money and no prestige, leaving them open to offense by anyone. Having someone step forward to teach the man a lesson right now was for the best.

Perhaps it was because the Li family had been too kind-hearted over the years that it had caused just about anyone to harbor malicious intentions toward them.

Inside the yamen, dozens of prominent gentry and village elders of Shuiwen County had already gathered.

"Young Master Li," many of them offered salutes.

Li Xintian returned the greetings one by one. After all, compared to these people, he was still of a younger generation, and matters of seniority remained crucial.

"Xintian, regarding this ordeal your father Li Qizong has fallen into, to be honest, we find it utterly impossible to believe. Later on, if that Magistrate Liu attempts any coerced confessions or unjust trials, we old fogies will certainly stand up and speak out for the Li family with a sense of justice," several prestigious elders said solemnly.

This showed that the Li family's status within Shuiwen County was far from low, and their reputation was exceptionally good.

"Please rest assured, everyone. I already have a few plans in mind regarding this matter, and I will not let Magistrate Liu succeed," Li Xintian replied.

"That is good to hear." The prestigious elders nodded.

"Court is in session!"

Abruptly, as Li Xintian arrived, the sharp crack of a gavel echoed from the main hall, followed by a rather majestic voice.

"Listen? The trial is starting, let's go take a look."

...

"Let's go see what sentence Master Li of our Shuiwen County will actually receive."

"I heard Master Li used sorcery to murder for wealth; I wonder if that's true or false."

With the cry announcing the opening of court, the crowd outside the yamen surged instantly, all eager to squeeze in and see how Master Li's case would be tried.

Some hoped Li Qizong would emerge unscathed and safe and sound, while others naturally hoped the Li family would simply collapse. After all, the Li family had sat high above Shuiwen County for generations, making the breeding of jealousy inevitable.

"Bailiffs, bring forth Mother Wang, who brought charges against Li Qizong!" Magistrate Liu seated in the primary seat suddenly shouted from within the main hall.

The bailiffs looked at each other in dismay. Wasn't Mother Wang already dead yesterday? How could she be brought to court?

Soon, two men carried a stretcher, bearing Mother Wang's corpse into the main hall.

"Look, Mother Wang is dead?" The gentry and clan elders outside the hall were instantly startled.

"This—how can a dead person bring a charge? Judging by her appearance, Mother Wang has been dead for several days, hasn't she?" An elder with sharp eyes spoke up, "Livor mortis has already set in. Didn't Li Qizong get arrested days before this?"

"Indeed, the person has been dead for several days; how could she possibly go to the yamen to accuse Li Qizong?"

"Yet people said that when Mother Wang was arrested a few days ago, she wasn't dead."

For a moment, waves of doubt and discussion rippled through the crowd.

At the front of the crowd, Li Xintian's expression remained calm, though he cast a brief glance at Mother Wang's corpse.

Mother Wang's body was covered in bruises left by beatings; black and blue marks dotted her entire frame, making it look as though she had been beaten to death. Furthermore, her injuries appeared in overlapping patches, which was exceedingly bizarre.

"Those two ghost messengers really put in the effort," Li Xintian thought to himself.

At that moment, Magistrate Liu suddenly barked, "Who says a dead person cannot bring a charge? And do you all know how Mother Wang died? In all my years as an official, I have never seen anyone so audacious as to sneak into the yamen at the hour of the midnight rat yesterday and beat Mother Wang, the most crucial witness in this case, to death right inside the court offices!"

"What does this mean? It clearly means someone wanted to silence a witness and destroy the evidence of a crime! I suspect this matter is connected to the Li family; it is highly likely that someone from the Li family sent assassins into the yamen to beat Mother Wang to death."

Hearing this, the crowd erupted into another wave of commotion, discussing the matter animatedly.

Magistrate Liu gave a cold snort, denying the crowd any further chance to deliberate, and commanded, "Bailiffs, summon Li Qizong's son, Li Xintian!"

"Eldest Young Master, look, this..." A bailiff walked over, wearing an expression of intense difficulty.

"It's fine. I'll just see how this Magistrate Liu intends to slander our Li family," Li Xintian waved his hand and strode forward immediately.

"Li Qizong's son, Li Xintian, pays his respects to Magistrate Liu."

He stepped out, his gaze carrying a hint of coldness as he offered a calm salute.

Magistrate Liu said coldly, "You are Li Xintian? I ask you, give me an honest, word-for-word account: where were you at midnight last night?"

"Reporting to Your Honor, at midnight, I was naturally at home," Li Xintian replied.

"And what were you doing at home?" Magistrate Liu demanded.

"My father is suffering a calamity in prison; naturally, I was worried about his affairs and remained awake all night," Li Xintian replied calmly.

"Awake all night? Hmph, is there any witness?" Magistrate Liu gave a cold snort.

At that moment, Tieshan shouted urgently from outside the main hall, "I can testify! The Eldest Young Master sat in the Li family hall the entire night last night and never stepped out even half a step."

"Not stepping out half a step does not mean Li Xintian did not order servants to carry out tasks. You are a servant of the Li family, your words are untrustworthy. Now I suspect you dispatched household bondsmen overnight to murder Mother Wang, killing the most vital witness in this case. Li Xintian, do you plead guilty?" Magistrate Liu stared straight at Li Xintian.

He had not expected that Magistrate Liu's so-called public trial would bypass trying Li Qizong altogether and instead gun straight for Li Xintian.

To take down Li Qizong and then slap Li Xintian with a heavy felony—this was an attempt to exterminate them root and branch.

Li Xintian gave a light smile and said, "To base a guilty verdict merely on Magistrate Liu's empty words—doesn't Your Honor run the risk of turning black into white and framing an innocent person?"

"You, Li Xintian, are considered an innocent person? Do not think this official is unaware of everything you have done. Since you refuse to plead guilty, so be it. Guards, bring the night-watch bailiff Wang Chuan to court!" Magistrate Liu commanded further.

Before long, a bailiff named Wang Chuan knelt on the floor of the main hall.

"This humble servant Wang Chuan pays respect to Your Honor."

"Wang Chuan, I ask you, during your night watch yesterday, did you hear or see anything happen inside Mother Wang's room?" Magistrate Liu inquired.

...

Wang Chuan trembled with fear as he stammered, "Reporting to Your Honor, while this humble servant was on duty last night, right around midnight, I heard the sounds of fighting and shouting coming from the room where Mother Wang was detained. However, when I rushed over, I saw two masked men dash out of Mother Wang's room. Those two masked men in black ignored me and quickly fled, and when I arrived inside, I discovered Mother Wang had already met a violent death in the room."

"Oh, right, Your Honor, as I was arriving, I also vaguely heard one of the men in black shout a phrase."

"What phrase? Tell me in detail," Magistrate Liu pressed.

Wang Chuan's entire body shook as he quivered, "The man in black said: The task is done, hurry back to report to the Eldest Young Master."

"Eldest Young Master? Are you certain that man in black mentioned the Eldest Young Master?" Magistrate Liu asked.

"Yes, this humble servant is certain," Wang Chuan groveled on the ground, not daring to lift his head.

Instantly, the gentry and clan elders outside the hall were startled once more, turning their gazes in unison toward Li Xintian.

"No, it can't be... Did Li Xintian actually arrange for a hit, murdering Mother Wang?"

"Sending men overnight to kill Mother Wang—this was to stop today's public trial! Viewed this way, Li Qizong's charges must be true after all."

"Truly, you can know a person's face but not their heart. I never imagined the Li family's Eldest Young Master could do something so ruthless. Alas, even now, I find it hard to believe."

"I already saw some ominous signs yesterday. I heard that Black San, who works as a bailiff in the yamen, had one of his hands chopped off and a leg tendon severed by Han Meng of the Li family's escort agency. Although Black San is a notorious local ruffian in Shuiwen County, he hadn't done anything to incur the wrath of both gods and men. This Li Xintian acts far too ruthlessly."

In an instant, public sentiment flipped.

The gentry and elders who had moments before been staunchly backing Li Xintian now hastily switched sides, all concluding that Li Xintian was the mastermind behind the murder of Mother Wang.

Once this charge was cemented, there was no need even to try the defendant Li Qizong today; his guilt could be directly established as fact.

If the son was like this, one could easily imagine the father. The Li family was doomed.

Seeing this scene, a smile touched the corner of Magistrate Liu's mouth.

The Li family wanted to fight him?

Were his years as an official spent in vain? Those gentry and elders had enough status and seniority, but at the end of the day, they were merely a group of foolish commoners.

Such people were the easiest to hoodwink; a few words were all it took to make these staunch supporters of the Li family all conclude the Li family were murderers.

"Li Xintian, the evidence is ironclad now. What else do you have to say for yourself?" Magistrate Liu demanded.

"Ironclad evidence?"

Li Xintian retorted, "The so-called ironclad evidence of Magistrate Liu is merely the biased testimony of your own subordinates. Why does Magistrate Liu only believe his own underlings and not the words of others? I could equally claim that Magistrate Liu deliberately beat Mother Wang to death last night, and then dispatched a bailiff to frame me, claiming I ordered her murder. By doing so, wouldn't both generations of my Li family fall right into Magistrate Liu's hands alone?"

"Absurd! I am the magistrate of this county, and you are merely a criminal—how dare you randomly slander me! Besides, your father Li Qizong confessed long ago." Magistrate Liu finished, then commanded, "Master Aide, show this criminal Li Qizong's confession."

"Yes, Your Honor," the aide replied.

He immediately walked forward carrying a written deposition.

Magistrate Liu stated, "Li Xintian, take a good look. This bears your own father's personal signature and thumbprint."

Li Xintian glanced at it; the document recorded one charge after another against his father, complete with his father's fingerprint stamped at the bottom.

The thumbprint was real, but the charges were false.

His father had been dragged into the yamen days ago; leaving aside coerced confessions, pressing a thumbprint by force was no difficult task.

"So Magistrate Liu has had everything prepared over these past few days. I am truly impressed, deeply impressed—just now, I couldn't even squeeze in a single word."

After looking it over, Li Xintian clapped his hands and laughed aloud. "That being the case, I wonder how Magistrate Liu intends to dispose of my father, and of me?"

Seeing Li Xintian clapping, Tieshan's gaze flickered, and he quietly withdrew from the crowd.

"Hmph, willing to confess now, are you? According to prior sentencing, this official should have sentenced Li Qizong and the female dependents to exile on the border, and demanded four hundred thousand taels of silver to compensate all victims within the county. However, today's case has taken a new turn: you, Li Xintian, committed violence and murder—a heinous crime—colluding hand-in-glove with your father Li Qizong."

"Therefore, the crimes of both men are increased by a grade. Today, this official sentences Li Qizong, who used sorcery to murder for wealth and committed monstrous crimes, to execution in the autumn. Furthermore, Li Xintian, who committed violent murder, is likewise unforgivable; his scholarly honors shall be stripped, he shall be taken into custody immediately, and simultaneously, his residence shall be confiscated, along with all the Li family's farmland, shops, and workshops..."

Sporting the expression of someone fiercely devoted to eradicating evil, Magistrate Liu slammed his gavel and delivered the righteous verdict.